Thane [India], September 11: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its food-safety crackdown in Thane, seizing food products, raw materials and edible oil worth ₹20.48 lakh from 11 establishments allegedly operating under unhygienic conditions.
The surprise inspection was conducted on September 9 in the Khardi village area along Shil-Diva Road after the FDA received confidential information about units involved in the manufacture and sale of farsan, wafers, chivda, namkeen and other food products. Officials inspected 11 establishments and took action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
According to the FDA, the seized material weighed approximately 28,955 kg along with 56 litres of edible oil, with the total value estimated at ₹20,48,801.50.
Dirty Floors, Open Areas and Pest Infestation Found
The FDA inspection reportedly uncovered several serious hygiene and food-safety violations inside the manufacturing units.
Officials found production areas with extremely dirty and sticky floors, with oil and other residues accumulated on the surface. Some premises were operating from temporary structures with shed-sheet roofs and walls, while certain sections were open and exposed to the surrounding environment.
The establishments were also found to have inadequate drainage arrangements. Wastewater was reportedly accumulating outside the units, creating foul and musty odours and raising concerns over sanitation.
More seriously, officials reportedly found cockroaches and rats inside some of the establishments and in their surrounding areas.
The immediate surroundings were also described as unhygienic, with animals such as cows, dogs and cats frequently present near the food-processing premises.
Workers Found Without Proper Protective Gear
The FDA also raised concerns about the way food was being handled by workers.
According to the inspection findings, some employees involved in food preparation were wearing unclean clothes and were working without basic protective equipment such as aprons, gloves and head coverings.
Such practices can increase the risk of contamination, particularly in establishments producing ready-to-eat snacks such as farsan, chivda, sev and wafers.
Officials also found shortcomings in the labelling of packaged food products, with some labels reportedly failing to meet applicable regulatory requirements.
What Food Items Were Seized?
The FDA seized a wide variety of finished food products and raw materials during the operation.
The seized stock reportedly included:
- Potato wafers
- Farali chivda
- Spicy wafers
- Black pepper wafers
- Mixed farsan
- Shev
- Bhakarwadi
- Chivda
- Diet chivda
- Schezwan sticks
- Banana chips
Officials also seized raw materials including maida, besan and pea flour, along with palmolein oil and used edible oil.
The total quantity of seized material was approximately 28,955 kg and 56 litres, valued at ₹20.48 lakh.
11 Food Units Came Under FDA Action
The operation covered 11 establishments in the Khardi village/Bhaskar Compound area along Shil-Diva Road.
The establishments named in the India Today report include Rakesh Lalji Gupta, Rahul Foods, Krishna Banana Chips, Komal Wafers, Chaska Maska Foods, Om Sai Traders Farsan, Harish Chaska Food, Dharmaraj Fruit Supply, Antima Farsan and Wafers, Nitya Farsan and Chakli, and Vimal Namkeen.
The action comes as Maharashtra’s FDA has increased inspections of food businesses across the state, particularly ahead of the festive season when demand for snacks, sweets and other food products rises sharply.
Action Follows Suspected Quality and Adulteration Concerns
The FDA said the raid followed information regarding suspected adulteration, substandard food quality and unsafe manufacturing conditions.
The seizure does not by itself establish that every seized product was adulterated. However, the conditions documented during the inspection prompted the department to take enforcement action and remove the identified stock from circulation.
The crackdown is part of a broader food-safety drive led by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, whose department has recently carried out inspections of food establishments across Mumbai, Thane and other parts of Maharashtra.
FDA Steps Up Festive-Season Checks
The Thane raid comes at a time when Maharashtra’s food regulator is preparing for increased food production and distribution during the festive season.
The FDA has said that organisers planning mass food-distribution programmes during the festive period must provide prior information to the designated FDA officer at least seven days before the event.
The objective is to ensure that food prepared and distributed in large quantities meets safety and hygiene requirements.
The department has also taken action against food establishments in other parts of Maharashtra. Separate licence suspensions have reportedly been issued against several establishments following inspections that uncovered food-safety and hygiene violations.
Why the Thane Raid Matters
The operation highlights the risks associated with food being prepared in poorly maintained facilities, particularly when such products are eventually sold to consumers through shops, restaurants and local markets.
Items such as wafers, chivda, farsan, sev and banana chips are widely consumed, especially during festivals. Ensuring that these products are prepared in hygienic surroundings and handled safely is therefore particularly important.
The FDA’s action also underlines the importance of valid food licences, proper drainage, pest control, clean production areas, appropriate worker hygiene and compliant product labelling.
For consumers, the latest crackdown is a reminder to purchase packaged food from licensed and reliable establishments and to check labels, manufacturing details and expiry information before buying.
Maharashtra FDA’s Wider Food-Safety Crackdown
The Thane operation is part of a wider enforcement campaign underway across Maharashtra. The state FDA has recently targeted restaurants, food-processing units, warehouses and other establishments over alleged hygiene, licensing and food-safety violations.
The intensified inspections have attracted attention because the regulator has been publicly highlighting violations and taking action where serious deficiencies are found.
With the festive season approaching, further inspections are expected across the state as authorities attempt to prevent unsafe or improperly prepared food from reaching consumers.
The seizure of ₹20.48 lakh worth of food products and raw materials from just 11 Thane units puts the spotlight on the need for stricter hygiene standards in small-scale food manufacturing facilities. The FDA’s continued inspections will determine whether similar violations are found at other establishments in the region.
